Retrieval
by darlasmom
Summary: Brennan is on sabbatical when disaster strikes. Can Booth get to her in time? Sequel to this story - Recovery - is now complete! Rated T due to violence and language.
1. Chapter 1

**This story is complete in and of itself, but there will be a sequel, Recovery, that will pick up where this story ends. As always, please please review, reviews are most appreciated!**

**RETRIEVAL**

Booth strode down the hallway of the Jeffersonian, case file in hand. As he entered the lab, he looked around, hoping to find Cam, then groaned inwardly as Zach tapped him on the shoulder.

"Good morning, Agent Booth. Can I help you?" Booth tried his best to ignore the young scientist at his side, then relented, figuring that the way the kid was hovering, he'd probably stand in front of him next.

"Yeah. Where's Cam?"

"She had a meeting upstairs, we were expecting her back by now, but she's not here yet. Is that a case? I'd be happy to take a look." Zach leaned a bit, hoping to scan the paperwork, but Booth shifted away, scanning the room desperately.

"Nah, that's okay, I'll just wait for her. Hey, Angela! Hey!" Relieved, he bolted toward her, glad to be able to talk to a non-squint. "How are ya?"

"Hey, stranger, we haven't seen you in these parts recently." Angela bumped shoulders with Booth, grinning at him. "We thought maybe you found yourself someone new to hang with." He smiled, enjoying her spirit.

"Nah. Casesload's just been a little slow, amazingly enough, and the most recent have been pretty slam-dunk, so…" He broke off, leaving unsaid the other, bigger reason he hadn't been around. "Have you seen Cam?"

"She just called, said she's on her way back." She eyed him shrewdly, knowing exactly what he'd avoided admitting. "What's up?" As they headed toward her office, he related the details of his most recent case, and what type of help he needed – and then repeated it all for Cam, who'd just returned.

"That shouldn't be a problem – this is an easy one." Cam took the file from him. "We should have an answer for you by tomorrow morning." She paused, uncomfortable, glancing at Angela, who rolled her eyes and stepped forward.

"So, we heard from Bren the other day." Angela smiled as Booth suddenly turned and focused on her. "She's okay – she's been identifying lots of bodies, and they've avoided most of the action." Her smile slipped a bit. "But she said she's heard gunfire several times, and they keep having to move the location of the lab headquarters." She wished her friend wouldn't take so many chances. _I'm the first person to say 'Live life to the limit', but this is getting scary._ Her eyes followed Booth as he paced within the confines of the small office. "Do you know anything about what's going on over there?"

"A little." A big fat lie, that's what that was. He knew a lot, as he'd been closely tracking the situation in Dulny since learning Bones was going there on a humanitarian mission. What he was hearing was not promising. Armed skirmishes were popping up in numerous areas, and there were rumors of an all-out conflict in the works. She'd been there for three weeks already, and he'd been miserable, worried about her. _Worried about her, but also missing her, isn't that what you really mean, chicken-shit?_ _You've been bored since she left – no lunches or dinners – investigations aren't nearly as much fun without her…_He mentally shook himself, wondering how much to tell her co-workers. "There's a lot of upset right now, the region's a bit unstable. I'm sure everything will be fine." He really, **really** hoped everything would be fine. "She say when she's coming back?"

"She wants to stay for a few more weeks – she said they're really helping the locals." Angelas' eyes tracked Booth – back and forth, back and forth. "It means a lot to these people, to finally find their loved ones, to be able to bury them." _This is kinda like watching a tennis match._ "I just hope this doesn't turn into another El Salvador for her."

"Yeah, well, that's Bones all over – helpin' the world." He stopped, frowning. "Wait, what happened in El Salvador?" Booth paused as Hodgins and Zach rushed in, looking upset. _What, another argument about who's smarter?_ He looked again, closer, and stopped pacing. "What's wrong?"

"You should see this." Hodgins grabbed the TV remote, tuning to the news. Grainy videos of armed men and running civilians filled the screen, and the reporters' British accent filled the room.

"Government officials have stated that the borders have been closed, and that the entire region is in turmoil. Hostilities are increasing rapidly, with reports of attacks on foreigners reaching bordering aid stations. The Dulny Head of State has also confirmed that they are unable to send troops to the region at this time, due to –" The space where the TV had been was suddenly empty, and the Jeffersonian staff gaped at the sight of it on it's side on the floor, smoking. As the sound of its impact faded, they warily eyed Booth, who stood over the set, shaking glass fragments off his pantleg.

Cam cautiously eased forward. "Um, Booth, are you okay?" She froze as his head whipped around, and shivered at the blank stare aimed at her.

"No. No, Cam, I'm really not." He flipped open his phone, dialing quickly. "This is Special Agent Booth. I need Director Cullen – no – now. It's an emergency." He resumed pacing, and the others in the room backed up as a unit. "Sir? I have an emergency, a family emergency. I need to take some personal time. I don't know yet – at least three weeks, maybe more. Please reassign my caseload." A brief pause, and he nodded his head. "Yes, sir. That won't be a problem – this will be strictly 'unofficial'. Thank you, sir." He turned around and pointed at Hodgins. "You."

Hodgins quietly stepped forward. "Yes?"

"What has she sent you?" At Hodgins' confused look, he tossed his head impatiently. "Bones. Whenever she goes on these insane trips she always sends back crap. Did she send **anything** that will tell us where she is, exactly?" He strode out of the office, Hodgins on his heels.

"She sent several items, um, some approved bone samples, along with vials of soil and vegetation." He dashed to the other side of the platform, dragging Zach with him. "We'll start narrowing it down." As Cam approached, Booth spun to her.

"I'm gonna need an aid kit. Give me as much as you can, but keep the size of the pack as small as possible. Make sure there're penicillin and pain meds in there." As she hesitated, he angled his head, eyes narrowed. "Are you gonna **argue** with me about the drugs? Is **that** what you're gonna do?" She shrank back, shaking her head, and went off at a run. He shrugged out of his jacket and made another phone call. "Toby, it's Booth. Listen, I have a problem. I'm gonna need some help overseas. Who's your European contact now?" He noticed the curious looks, and moved further down the platform, jotting down data. "Okay, take a list. I need an M24 with silencer, an M249, two M9 Berettas, some C4 with wiring, and M67 grenades. I'll also need a Land Rover. Make sure the rendezvous point is close to Dulny. Yeah, it's a big one. Thanks – I owe you."

"Booth."

He turned as Angela neared, and his stony expression softened as he saw that she'd been crying. "Angela." She threw her trembling arms around him, and he automatically comforted her. "Don't worry, everything'll be alright." She clutched him harder, then pulled back.

"Please please **be careful** – and thank you, thank you so much. Please bring my friend back – I want **both** of you back here, safe." She quickly hugged him again, then sank into a chair.

Cam sprang back up the steps, a backpack clutched in her arms. "The kit's ready." Handing it to him, she met his eyes. "I'm sorry. Be safe, Seeley."

He paused, looking at her, but there was really nothing more to say. He nodded and headed for the exit. "Call me **as soon **as you have any information on her last known location." Before any of them could move, he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

She cautiously kept to the shadows, only moving at night. She'd encountered a couple of people, but most of them had been locals who were just as scared as she was. The one who hadn't – well, the fight had been long and ugly, but she'd finally won. Bruised and cut, she hadn't even realized, in the first moments after the fight, two things - her attacker was dead, and she had fractured her leg. It was most likely the fibula, as she was still able to put some weight on it. That didn't stop any of the pain, however, although the splint and cane she'd rigged were helping. She'd been forced to put mud on the worst of her cuts, the wounds that wouldn't stop bleeding. She refused to think about the body she'd left in the woods – she wouldn't dwell on that now. And she was hungry – really hungry. _How long has it been since I ate?_ The pain and hunger were taking her focus, but she wasn't giving up. She wasn't even sure why she was still trying; she just kept moving. _It's most likely the survival instinct – __**ow**__ – if I can just find some shelter – and some food, need food…_The past week kept replaying in her mind as she headed west, using the stars for navigation. All the workers at the makeshift lab had evacuated several times, and none of them ever unpacked. Even so, the final attack had been a complete surprise. In the middle of the night, they had awoken to gunfire and screaming, and had scattered in every direction. The assault had been so brutal, she hadn't even been able to grab her rucksack, containing emergency food and provisions. Vaulting through the window, she had somehow managed to reach the tree line unobserved. The glow as the camp burned was terrifying – too much light, and she might still be captured. She had forged on in the thick brush, until the light and sound had gone, then dropped where she'd stood, exhausted. Once dawn arrived, she had carefully looked for somewhere better to hide, to wait for darkness. Since then, her days and nights had all been a series of running, hiding and scavenging. _I'm glad I found those grubs, and that Fire Weed. At least it was something…but that was two days ago._

Lowering herself gingerly onto a rock, she braced her injured leg on a tree branch, hissing at the fresh wave of pain. As she rested, her mind drifted – to her friends, her work, her partner…_I miss them all. I want to see them again_._ I want to solve crimes, research cases with my coworkers. I want to tell Angela my secrets. Booth…_Here her thoughts were jumbled. She had not been able to define her wishes concerning her partner, other than acknowledging the desire to work on more cases with him. _Something more, but I don't know what…I wish he was here. Maybe that's it. I wish he was here – I'm getting weaker every day, the hunger and pain are too much. Booth would know what to do. I could normally survive on my own in the wilderness, but not in this condition. Booth could help – Booth __**would**__ help. _But that was impossible. Even if he wanted to come, she knew he could never get here. _Stop it, Temperance. Booth isn't going to swoop in and save you – you don't need him to, either. Just keep going._ She struggled weakly to her feet, fighting the now-familiar wave of dizziness. Then stopped, silent, her eyes searching the darkness, her body tense. _I know I heard something…I need to hide, where can I hide?_ Every muscle in her body braced as a shadow moved, to her right. _Too late…too late_…Her hand tightened around her cane – she'd picked a good solid branch, and it would work as a weapon. _Unless they're armed. Maybe I can talk to them, maybe they're not hostile…_She dug around in her head for the dialect she'd picked up since arriving. "Pamageetyè mnyè, pazhaloosta!" The subject remained motionless, and she tried again. "Pazhaloosta, skaryèyè…" Without warning, the figure rushed her. Bringing the stick up above her head, with a yell she brought it down, hard, as hard as she could. The impact of body hitting body was sickening, and she toppled over backwards, landing roughly on her back, her assailant on top of her. She swung wildly, in a panic, and shoved at him – she could tell it was a man, now – and was shocked when he didn't fight back. She crawled painfully from underneath him, sobbing breaths escaping her as she scrambled, putting distance between them. Finally, she stopped and glanced back, hoping against hope that he wouldn't be standing there. She paused at the sight of the unconscious man sprawled on the ground. _Thank God, thank God…_The irony that she was thanking an entity in which she professed disbelief never occurred to her. Carefully she struggled to stand, then dropped back to her knees, gasping as the pain hit. Her fingers moved down to clutch her hip – and came up bloody. "Oh, no…" She dragged herself along the ground. _ If he wakes up, I'm dead. Keep moving, Temperance, keep moving._ She got to her feet - slowly this time - pressed her hand against her leg and limped off through the trees.


	3. Chapter 3

Booth surveyed the terrain, squinting into the distance. _Trees over there – she'd take cover whenever possible._ Shouldering his bags, he trekked across the open fields, checking and re-checking that he hadn't been spotted. His fatigues blended with the surroundings, but it paid to be vigilant. In the two weeks since he'd arrived, he'd met his contact, gathered the necessary tools, and set out for the location Hodgins had pinpointed. He'd fallen easily back into the routine of the soldier, using all his Ranger skills to track Bones. His 'other' skills, along with those of the Ranger, had come in handy a couple of times – the few unfriendlies he'd encountered had been quickly neutralized. He'd had to leave the truck a few miles back – it was camouflaged, the weapons hidden a short distance away, and the coordinates marked. _We may need to leave fast._ He wasn't even going to consider that he wouldn't find her – he'd already seen signs that she'd headed that way. He understood how her mind worked, and that helped. _Moving at night, using a walking stick on the trickier terrain – she's being smart. Just stay smart, Bones. Stay smart. _He'd come across the remains in the woods, and that had given him a bad moment – sick rage had flooded through him. The fight had been violent – very violent, but she'd won. _Good girl. _She might be injured, though – the trail had been much easier to follow after that. C_ome on, Bones, hang on – hang on until I can get to you_.

The sun beat down on him, and he was fleetingly glad that the pouring rains plaguing much of the area had taken a break. Too much mud would make everything harder. He finally reached the edge of the forest, and headed under the canopy. The trees had disguised numerous outcroppings, and these he scanned carefully, gun drawn, as there were many places to hide. Bones – or someone else – could be in any of the crevices. He picked up the trail again, and walked for another mile, then stopped to check some more rocky areas. He carefully rounded a boulder and saw an overhang on the other side of a small clearing. _Okay, that looks promising. Stay sharp now._ Moving soundlessly, he crept up to the side of the opening and peered in – and his stomach dropped. She lay on the damp ground, body slightly curled. In one glance he saw her hand, limp in the mud. Saw the matted blood and dirt, and how thin she looked, how small. In the next instant he was crouching beside her. "Bones. Can you hear me? Bones!" Her pulse was weak, but she was alive. He quickly checked her, noting the bruises and cuts, the blood and dirt. Her clothes were tattered and stained. He moved to assess her lower body, then stopped, stunned. _Goddammit. That's a stab wound. Shit. Shit. This is not good._ He forced himself to finish, noting the makeshift brace on her leg. _Probably broken. Well, that's not a priority right now._ He moved back to her head, and gently stroked her cheek. "Bones. C'mon, Bones, wake up for me now."

She drifted, comforted, hearing a voice she knew. I_s it time for work? I'm late – no, wait…_She woke up completely, and immediately felt that someone was kneeling over her. Without opening her eyes, she went for the element of surprise and struck out, but her wrist was firmly caught. She tried to move, but was gently held down. _It's over. I can't fight anymore._ Then she heard her name, and her eyes flew open. _I'm delirious, or dead._ She stared up at him, and felt his cool hand on her brow. _Is this real?_ She parted cracked lips, and breathed his name. "Booth." He smiled through his camouflage paint, and she felt like she was dreaming. "Booth."

"It's me, Bones, I'm here. You're gonna be okay." He bundled up his light jacket and slid it under her head. "Just take it easy – I'll get you out of here." He rummaged around in his bags, pulling out water and some food. _She needs to eat – and soon._ "Eat this." He slid his hand under her head, and she slowly ate the food. "Not too much right away, I'll give you a little more soon. I don't want you to get sick. Here, have some water."

After taking a couple swallows, she looked at him again, as if she couldn't believe her eyes. "Why are you here? How did you find me?"

"I **came** to find **you**, dummy." He joked, hoping to coax a smile from her. When her lips curved, he continued. "I tracked you about ten miles due east from your starting point - you made good progress. I need to treat some of your wounds, so just relax for a minute." As he pulled open his bag, she tried to sit up, but was overwhelmed by a white-hot wave of pain. He swung around, grabbing her hand as she cried out. Putting a hand on her shoulder, he held her still. "Bones – Bones, stay with me. C'mon, I need you to stay awake. Just take it easy, I'm gonna help you."

The pain was a living thing, gleefully tearing at her control. His voice was floating toward her, and she reached for it, fighting to get to him. Gradually her vision cleared, and she could see him again. A tear ran down her cheek, carving a wet trail in the dirt on her face. "Booth…"

"I know, darlin'. I know. Don't get upset now, you're gonna make it." He lifted her head again, and placed two pills in her mouth. "A little more water, that's it - c'mon, swallow."

She complied, then lay still, gazing trustingly up at him. "What did you give me?"

"A painkiller, and some antibiotics. You should be feeling better soon. Now, **stay still**, and let me do a little first aid." He cleaned the worst of the cuts, and then paused at the puncture on her hip. "This is gonna hurt, Bones, but I have to do it. Okay? I need you to hold still for me."

She gritted her teeth at the pressure of his fingers as they gingerly probed the wound – she didn't want to scream, she wanted to be strong. He began to disinfect the area, and a few whimpers escaped her, despite her best efforts. Gradually, the worst of the pain receded. _Must be the pills….mmmm, getting kinda floaty now_. She opened her eyes to see Booth applying a bandage, his jaw set, his eyes stormy. "Don't be upset, Booth, 's not as bad as it looks. Doesn't hurt much now …and you're very gentle."

Booth relaxed a fraction as he saw that the painkiller was kicking in. "There, all done now…I hate to tell you this, Bones, but we need to get moving. There's still a lot of activity in the area. Let me help you up." He assisted her to her feet, feeling every gasp she uttered. But when he bent to lift her, she resisted. "Bones - "

"I can walk, just help me. You can't carry me the whole way, 's too far. You have all the other stuff to carry, you can't carry me too." She pushed as she saw him hesitate. "'S okay, Booth, the pain isn't so bad now. I wanna walk…"

He pointed at her. "You let me know the **minute** you're tired, you hear? And if you slow me down, you're done." He draped her arm over his shoulders and wrapped his arm around her waist, careful to avoid the bandages. "Okay, Bones, one foot in front of the other, thatta girl." They started off through the dappled light, moving as one.

They travelled fairly quickly, the pain pills having a bolstering effect on her. He fed her several times, small amounts, and that helped as well. Even so, after an hour he noticed her flagging strength, and took more of her weight on him. "I don't know, Bones, I think it's time for a ride." She didn't answer him, and he glanced at her sharply, concerned that she'd lost consciousness, acutely aware of her weakened state. She was still awake – but her exhaustion was evident. Her head gently bumped against his shoulder with every step, and her footsteps were lagging. "That's it, up you go." He swung her lightly up into his arms, tucking her head under his chin.

She settled easily in the cradle of his arms, sighing wearily. "Okay." Booth set out without delay, and after a minute, her voice came again, sounding very small. "Thank you." He swallowed hard, and clasped her tighter to him, staring straight ahead.


	4. Chapter 4

Night had fallen by the time they reached the truck, and Booth approached carefully, not trusting that the area was deserted. He didn't bother to warn Bones to be quiet – she'd been asleep for a few hours now. He was rewarded for his vigilance by the sound of voices, and soon flickering lights could be seen through the trees. _They found the truck. Ah, well, I kinda thought they would. Really hope they didn't find the guns, though…_ He circled around the group of men, meticulously noting the number of hostiles, the firepower being displayed. _Ten or eleven subjects, mostly AK-47s. Hmmm. Gonna need a little distraction here…they didn't find my stuff. Better for us._ Kneeling, he lowered Bones to the ground, then quickly leaned over when she stirred.

"Booth…" He pressed his fingers against her lips, and she immediately froze, understanding. He put his lips next to her ear.

"They found the truck. I have to set up a diversion – a lotta noise, some necessary damage. These guys are real bad players – if they catch us, we're finished." He pressed a gun into her hand. "If anyone comes near you, you **shoot to kill**. You understand? No leg shots tonight – we do what we have to do, to make sure we get out of here. This is a safe area, so stay here – I'm gonna start setting up the show. As soon as all hell breaks loose, I'll be back for you."

She grabbed for his hand, clutching it. "It's too dangerous, Booth. You could leave me here, and come back later with reinforcements…you'll be able to escape if you're alone."

"Do you really think I'm gonna leave here without you?" His eyes gleamed in the darkness. "How long have you known me?" He sensed she wanted to argue, and stifled a curse. "Just do me a favor, Bones, and** shut up.**"

He paused, and looked intently into her eyes. "You listen to me. Do **not **leave this spot. I don't care what kind of trouble you think I'm in, you **stay here**. If something goes wrong – " He gripped her chin as she shook her head violently. "If something goes wrong, you lay low for a day or two, then head straight south. It's only a couple miles to friendly territory. There're enough supplies for you to make it. Make sure you take a gun, and enough ammo. Promise me." When she didn't respond, he tightened his hold on her jaw. "**Promise me**." Her eyes flooded with tears, but after a long moment, she nodded slowly. He smiled reassuringly, but when he began to move, she clutched his sleeve.

"Booth." She pulled at him until he was over her again, then reached up to him. The kiss was brief, fleeting, and overflowing with emotion. "Good luck." Something flashed in his eyes briefly, and then he was swallowed up by the night. She gazed in the direction he had gone for several long minutes, then inched along on the ground until she could see the clearing. Booth had chosen this vantage point well – the men were clearly visible, and appeared to be drinking heavily. _I wish they would drink themselves into unconsciousness. I wish I could help more. Be careful, Booth._

Booth was very good; she knew he was out there, close enough to make contact with the band of men, but she never saw him. Time passed, and her body started to ache. Systematically she moved and stretched one limb at a time - if she had to move quickly, she didn't want to be too stiff. Her nerves wore to near the breaking point, then wore a little further.

Suddenly the clearing lit up, bright as day. A second later, the explosion was deafening. She cringed, struggling to see what was happening. Fires had sprung up in several spots, and chaos ruled. She saw some bodies on the ground, but others were running around, grabbing their guns. A shot rang out, and one of the men collapsed face down, unmoving. Another shot, and another body. Now the men were panicked, and some of them started to run. Then she saw Booth. He was braced against a tree, pointing a rifle at the men. Those that ran, he spared - but if he had no choice, he shot. She looked closer, then stifled a gasp and gripped her gun tighter._ Is that someone behind Booth? Oh damn damn damn…_She crawled closer, pointing her gun at the area where she had caught the movement. Finally, she saw it again – an individual was moving up behind Booth, and** he had a gun**. It only took a second for her to realize that Booth was not yet aware of the threat. She aimed carefully at her target._ You're a good shot, Temperance. You have to be good now. You have to be __**better**__ than good._ Remembering the tips Booth had given her in the past, she braced her arms, focused, exhaled – and squeezed off one round. The man shrieked and toppled backwards, landing limply in the brush. Booth whirled, prepared for a fight - when he saw the body, he swung back around, and, even though she knew he couldn't see her through her cover, he looked right at her. The expression on his face made her shiver. He scanned the area, but found no one left. All had either run, or been stopped. He slung the rifle around to his back, and sprinted up the hill toward her, reaching her as she struggled to her feet.

"Let's go." Before she could speak, he grabbed her around the waist, tucked her under one arm, and barreled back down, toward the truck. She held on as tightly as she could despite the pain, knowing if she bounced less, he could move quicker. Her senses blurred together – the heat and roar of the flames, the searing pain from her wounds, the wild pounding of her heart, Booths' arm, tight as a band of iron around her waist. They reached the truck more quickly than she expected - Booth dropped her in her seat, leapt over her, and reached for the ignition. The Rover roared to life, and flung itself forward as he stomped the gas pedal. They catapulted into the trees, and as they sped along the dirt track, the truck bucked wildly, tossing them around in their seats. "Buckle up, Bones," he shouted, "you're gonna get hurt even worse if you don't." She doggedly searched for the fastener, finally securing it after being heaved out of her seat three more times. If the pain pill she'd taken a short while ago was working at all, she couldn't tell.

Booth glanced over at her – he was worried, she didn't look too good. _I hope she can manage this pace – the sooner we're out of here the better off she'll be._ His gaze dropped down to the bandage on her leg, noting that it was crimson. _Ah, dammit._ "Bones!" When she looked his way, he nodded at her leg. "You're bleeding again. There're some combines in that compartment – can you put some pressure on it, or do you need help?"

"I'll try…" Numbly, she drew out the trauma dressings, holding them to her hip. The adrenaline rush from the explosion was all but gone now, leaving her in a fog, and her leg and hip were screaming. _I can't slow him down…I can't…_ "I'm fine, Booth, don't stop!"

"Are you sure?" He heard her hollow tone and looked at her, prepared to pull over.

"Yes, keep going. We have to get out of here. Please!" His voice had sounded as if it was coming through a tunnel, and her vision was graying. _If I pass out, he'll stop – have to stay awake…_ She gripped the door as hard as she could, fighting with all her strength, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. _I can't, I can't…_


	5. Chapter 5

Booth slumped into a chair, and wearily rubbed his hands over his face. They'd done it. He'd driven like a madman, pushing the truck and himself to the limit. They were five miles into the safe zone before he felt like they were no longer a very big, very loud target. They finally reached an area with a hospital - his pride that Bones had lasted the entire ride had turned to shock when he'd stepped around to her door. Sitting bolt upright, gripping the door handle, she was completely and deeply unconscious. He hadn't even known – in the darkness, he'd thought she was okay, that she was staying quiet to conserve energy. Her muscles had been so stiff and locked that he'd had to pry her hands free before he could pull the door open. He'd agonized over the sight of the blood stain on the truck seat, suffered at the thought of her suffering. When he'd rushed into the medical area, Bones in his arms, they'd whisked her away and he hadn't seen her since. Most of the medical personnel didn't speak English, so he couldn't even ask how she was doing. _They have five more minutes, and then I'm going to find her. I shouldn't have let her out of my sight – what was I thinking?_ Pushing out of the chair, he paced in the small room like a caged beast. _Has it been five minutes?_ He checked the clock. _Two minutes – works for me._ He headed down the hall, easily brushing past the flustered nurses, and started checking beds. He found her in the fifth room, stretched out, being attended by medical personnel. He moved close, leaning over her, his eyes fixed on her face. "Bones. Bones, can you hear me?" Gently he stroked her face, hoping for a response. After a moment, her eyes, clouded with exhaustion and medication, fluttered open and focused on him. He gripped her hand, trying to hide his concern behind an encouraging smile.

"Hey, Bones, welcome back!"

She scanned the room, apprehensive. "Booth - where are we? Did we get away?" She tried to sit up, but his hands on her shoulders stopped her. "God, Booth…!"

"Wait, shh, it's okay, Bones, we're in friendly territory. Everything's okay."

She subsided, dropping her lids as she fought for control. _I will not cry. I will not cry. I will __**not**__ cry._ She knew it really didn't matter if she did or not – he always read her like a book. _I wish…I'm so tired, I want to go home._ She glanced up at him and saw compassion on his face. Compassion…and something else… she was just too tired to analyze anything. "When can we go home?"

"Let me talk to the doctors – or try to anyway, since I don't think any of them speak English – and see what's going on. You'll be okay for a minute?" She smiled wanly, and he stepped into the hall, finally locating a bilingual doctor. She heard patches of the conversation – broken ribs, laceration to the vastus lateralis, hairline fracture of the fibula_…_the murmured conversation continued, but she stopped listening. _Please just let me go home, please…_

"The doctors are being cautious – they want to observe you for a few days." She hadn't even heard him re-enter the room. She looked at him, and a long silence passed between them. Finally, he continued. "I spoke with Hodgins when we got here – there's a Learjet waiting at the airport, with medical staff. Ready to go, whenever you think you're strong enough."

Emotions overwhelmed her, and she swallowed hard. He understood. "I want to go home. Please, Booth, take me home."

* * *

The pilot glanced back from the cockpit, eyeing the tall man. Since takeoff, the guy either sat with the patient, or stood over her – always watchful, looking down at her sleeping form. Occasionally he stepped back slightly, so the medical personnel could check on her. Several times he'd held her hand close to him, and once he'd seen him brush his lips against her forehead. _Poor guy. Must be his wife._


End file.
